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Speedo Bathing SuitsMention the word Speedo, and for many it conjures up images of not-so-great-looking, probably European men coming out of the surf with a skimpy bathing suit that just doesn't look right. But Speedo is more than that, though its name has also come to be a generic term for any small man's bathing suit. The company itself dates back nearly a century with roots in Australia, with an early dedication to making swimwear for competitive swimmers and athletes. Their dedicated following meant their products showed up at the Olympics -- what better advertising than having the world's greatest swimmers clad in your swimwear! Over the years, their innovations with new materials and fabrics like nylon and lycra have continued to revolutionize the competitive swimming industry, and their bodysuit-style swimsuits are like nothing seen before.
And if you search hard enough, you'll even find sites dedicated to speedo photos and pictures of people wearing Speedo swimsuits. That's a little beyond our scope here, but we'll take a look at the different lines and styles Speedo makes, with information on prices and the best places to buy them. Speedo Website - PhotosThe main Speedo website is SpeedoUSA.com. You'll pretty quickly see that Speedo has moved way beyond the little huggy swimsuits of the past. Take a look at their FS-PRO products -- they look like something Aquaman would wear, ranging from the Jammers ($180) that are like skin-tight trunks, to the complete lower-body FS-PRO Legskins ($220), and the Hi Neck Bodyskin that is basically an armless bodysuit ($340). But these are high-end getups for professional swimmers and racers. For the rest of us, we're usually looking for more casual beach and pool wear. Of course the old standbys are still available - the Speedo Briefs, which come in a variety of styles and colors and range from about $28 to $50 in price. Almost all of their swimsuits are chlorine resistant, protecting them from fading and degrading. Anrton nylon, lycra, and spandex are the main materials used. Our favorite style is what Speedo calls their watershorts and boardshoarts. These are classic looking, easy fitting, swim trunks, priced at $35 - $55. These are popular with volleyball players and other beach bums, but they look and function great for anybody. The Eclipse Boardshort, at $55, is the most expensive but we think also the best looking -- crisp black body with white and gray side panel made of chamois to wipe off your hands. The Verge is another design we like, $42, simple mostly white, velcro fly, black drawstring, good looking swim trunks. If you are into competitive swimming, look into the lycra Jammers they sell - they're about $45 and look like those tight-fitting bikers shorts you see, but they definitely look a lot cooler than the Speedo briefs. You show up at the gym or the pool wearing these and you won't hear any snickers. They come mostly in black with colored stripes down the side - reds, blues, yellows -- take your pick.
Beyond swimsuits, Speedo also offer s cool line of footwear, from kids jelly water shoes ($20) to massage thongs and flip flops ($20), and the famous Beach Cruiser ($15) -- a great, inexpensive beach thong. We've used their water shoes and Surfwalkers on a recent trip to Hawaii, perfect for protecting feet on rough beaches and lava rocks -- a steal at less than $20 in our opinion. But our favorite Speedo shoe is the Hyrdoterra Slide -- these are great slip on sandals with tough rubber outsoles and a more rugged look and feel than the normal flip flops you see out there, and very comfortable too ($35). You can order shoes direct from Speedo at their website -- oddly enough, shoe-leader Zappos.com doesn't carry them. They offer both a mens and womens line of shoes, with similar designs and mostly just more feminine color choices and patterns differentiating them. Speedo AccessoriesSpeedo also makes and sells more than just swimsuits. They offer swim training gear like hip rotaters ($20), training paddles that fit over your hand and improve upper body strength ($12), special breast stroke fins designed for easy whip kicks ($50), pull buoys which you hold between your legs to focus on your arm strokes ($9), kickboards ($7), rubber and silicone ear plugs ($4), nose clips, etc. If your into water workouts and aerobics, check out their aquatic fitness products, with arm and leg trainers, aqua barbells and weight belts, steps, fitness gloves, and jogbelts. Most of these products cost $20-$30 (though the bulkier Aqua Step is $90), and Speedo offers free shipping from their site on orders over $85.Where to Buy Speedo Gear?As mentioned above, you can buy just about everything direct from the Speedo website, but a lot of other places sell Speedo gear as well, mostly swim-related sites. Buying at the Speedo site means you pay the suggested retail price -- you can often save a few bucks by buying from a retailer. SwimOutlet.com carries the Speedo Jammers at $36 vs. the $45 list price, not a bad deal. They have the Mirage Engineer Boardshorts for $42 vs. $50 at the Speedo site. MySwimStore.com is another site you can check out for Speedo stuff - carrying everything from Fastskin jammers to Speedo briefs to board shorts. Both sites offer pictures of Speedos swimsuits so you can see what you are getting. Be sure to check return policies if you are concerned about being able to return something you don't like, since buying online is always a little tricky when it comes to personal items like clothing. So if you aren't a bargain shopper, head straight for the Speedo site and buy direct -- if you want a little more variety when you shop, a chance to see some competitors products, and maybe save a little money, check out the swim sites above.
Do you have a quality site or product that belongs in this guide? We are always happy to evaluate or review new products and websites. Feel free to contact us at the email address below and let us know about you. If you have a demo product you'd like us to look at, please contact us before sending anything. Thank you.
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